Australian, Guam and PNG athletes vying for sprint queen title

Athletes from six countries will aim to be crowned the Pacific’s new sprint queen on Tuesday night following an exciting display of Sol2023 Pacific Games athleticism in the women’s 100m heats and semi-finals at Honiara’s National Stadium on Monday.

Australia’s Georgia Harris qualified fastest for the final, clocking an impressive 11.82 seconds. Next fastest was Regine Tugade-Watson of Guam (11.91) who won the other semi-final.

Three Papua New Guinea (PNG) sprinters will contest the final, hoping to keep the sprint queen crown in their home country (reigning champion Toea Wisil is absent from Sol2023 after recently giving birth). They are Isila Apkup who qualified in 12.06 seconds, Leonie Beu, who won bronze in this event at Samoa 2019 (12.15) and Adrine Monagi (12.17).

The remaining finalists are two Vanuatu sprinters – Lyza Malres and Claudie David – Kesaia Boletakanakavu of Fiji and Rebecca Peterson of New Zealand.

Fastest qualifier Harris told the Pacific Games News Service: “I am happy with my performance in the semi-finals and I will come focussed on the final race and compete for a gold medal”.

Guam’s Regine Tugade-Watson, who qualified second fastest said: “I am happy and satisfied. I plan to concentrate and prepare for the final”.

The women’s 100m final will be the last event of Tuesday’s session at 7.45pm

By Steven Kamoa, Pacific Games News Service